Session 14

Physics in Technology

From simple machines in ancient times until the Industrial Revolution and beyond, knowledge of physics was required to understand how technology was created. However, most users of the technology could remain largely ignorant of the physics involved. In the 21st century, however, the prevalence of technology which interacts with the environment from mobile phones to drones and self-driving cars, knowledge of physics is becoming more important in order to effectively use the technology. This evolution of physics as both the basis for technology as well as the knowledge base for its use is changing the education landscape. This talk will show some recent technology, including Arduinos, Raspberry Pi, sensors and components that can be used in the classroom.

Biography

Terry Sturtevant completed a BSc. in mathematics and physics from the University of New Brunswick in 1982 followed by an MSc. in solid state physics from the University of Waterloo in 1985. For the last 30 years he has been a lab coordinator in physics and electronics as well as a part-time faculty member at Wilfrid Laurier University. In 2013, he was invited to Nanjing University in China after collaborating with faculty there on a set of lab manuals in physics and electronics published in English and Mandarin. In 2014 he received the WLU Award of Teaching Excellence for part-time faculty, and has actively participated in educational development activities at Laurier, including giving presentations at various conferences. In Fall 2015 he developed and delivered a new course entitled "Physical Computing; Digital Interaction with the Analog World" aimed at an audience of both computer science and physics students.